Dear Irving Residents:
It is our privilege to let you know that the FY 2019-20 budget has been approved. It is the product of many hours of detailed review by staff using three main priorities provided by City Council and identified by Irving residents.
1. Enhance public safety services;
2. Strategically invest in infrastructure improvement; and
3. Maintain current service levels for all other city services.
During the 86th Texas legislative session, the Legislature passed several bills that negatively impact cities. Some of these bills affected the FY 2019-20 budget, including reductions in telecommunications franchise fees and the elimination of red light camera revenues, totaling a $2.7 million reduction in revenue. The impact of other bills will be felt in future years, including a 3.5 percent cap on the growth of the city’s property tax revenue collected from existing properties that will go into effect in FY 2020-21. These bills will hinder the city’s ability to raise revenues to fund basic city services.
With that said, we were able to approve the FY 2019-20 budget maintaining the current tax rate of $0.5941 per $100 of valuation. Adoption of the current tax rate maintains current service levels and includes funding for additional public safety personnel. It also allows the city to maintain a competitive compensation plan for its employees, along with health insurance benefits and market-based salary increases.
Solid Waste Services rates did not increase and current service levels will be maintained. The monthly energy surcharge of $0.98 per account will be eliminated with the new budget. The Municipal Drainage Utility rate did increase by $2 per month per municipal services bill effective January 2020. This increase is part of a five-year plan, Drainage Solutions for a Better Tomorrow, allowing the city to issue $100 million in drainage bonds to address critical needs in storm drainage infrastructure systems. The Water and Sewer rates overall did increase by 2.6 percent due to a $3.4 million increase in sewer treatment pass-through costs from the Trinity River Authority. This increase was necessary to maintain financial stability. The average resident’s municipal services bill will increase by approximately $2.70 per month.
The Capital Improvement Program will continue funding the city’s Road to the Future program to improve city streets; park and recreation improvement projects, including Heritage Park construction; additional improvements to Irving Boulevard associated with the turn-back project; design of improvements to Fire Station No. 1; and improvements to multiple city facilities.
Recently, we formed a new Irving Citizen’s Bond Task Force Committee to develop a proposed bond program for the next 10 to 15 years and plan to hold an election in May 2020 for you, as residents, to consider authorizing new general obligation bonds for capital projects.
A line item by line item review of the budget has resulted in another year with a balanced and responsible budget for the city. It is this type of approach, along with a dedicated staff and continued growth, that assists the city’s ability to add service enhancements that benefit you as a resident, visitor or business. Some of the service enhancements included in the FY 2019-20 budget are listed to the right.
We feel that the city’s rich diversity exhibited in our population, as well as the makeup of the business community is because of everything Irving has to offer. We are thankful that Irving residents and the people who make up the more than 300,000 daytime population get to enjoy all the parks, aquatic facilities, trails, recreational opportunities, libraries, arts and culture, music, food and shopping.
With a balanced budget; safety of residents, businesses and visitors; continued growth; and amenities galore, we are excited and look forward to what the future will bring.
Sincerely,
Mayor Rick Stopfer and City Council
FY 2019-20 BUDGET SERVICE ENHANCEMENTS
● Public safety staffing, including 20 new Police Officers, two new Sergeants, eight new Dispatchers, two new Animal Care Officers and one new Fire Prevention Specialist.
● The city will invest more than $100 million in storm drainage infrastructure systems over the next five years, addressing the most critical needs through the Drainage Solutions for a Better Tomorrow program.
● The total proposed Capital Improvement Program for FY 2019-20 is $88.4 million.
● This includes streets, parks and city facility improvements, water and wastewater projects.
